Comic Value - Will prices go up or down?

[Comic-world]

Alot of you maybe Wondering the same thing I am, and that is the value of comics, will our collections go up in value for years too come or will they just stay at a certain value. its amazing how Action comic #1 in a high grade can be worth so much money. nearlly as $500,000, will there ever be another comic that values as high as that. who knows but I am sure you can let me know what you think.

[jade_nova]

Thanks to trades and huge numbers of an issue being printed with reprints and all, the value of comics will very slowly rise or just stay the same.

[riftt]

actually no, the value of almost all modern age comics will greatly decrease over time, for all of the factors you listed

[xgeek52]

i agree...with the reprint and the trade paperbacks, the value of the originals are almost nil...you also hafta consider that a lot of comic shops (at least where i live) will not even consider buying the finest back issue

then you hafta consider ebay and other auction house...let's face it there's gonna be another price hike but as it stands now anything over $1.25 (and that's being conservative aren't going to be the paper it was printed on :mad:

[NormanB]

Digital comics (both legal and illegal) will also continue to impact the back issue market.

[Prelude]

its amazing how Action comic #1 in a high grade can be worth so much money. nearlly as $500,000, will there ever be another comic that values as high as that.I highly doubt that any comic will ever surpass Action Comics #1. That issue is the Holy Grail of the hobby.

[Mideon]

When I was 8 years old I woulda traded the world for the entire run of Amazing Spider-Man. Now I wouldn't pay 50 bucks for Amazing Fantasy #15 because I have Essential Spider-Man Vols. 1-5 and could buy 6 and 7 if I wanted to as well.

Not to mention the fact that you can download (yes I know it's wrong) the entire run of Spider-Man up to like 2003. I'm talking core titles, to guest apps and 1 shots, MTU, all the way to Daredevil #1 simply because it mentions Spidey on the cover.

[Nightcrawler]

Even if youget issues in TPBs, they are no where near the same as the original comic, especially with Silver Agers. Anyone who owns original Silver Age comics knows what I mean.

[Mister Mets]

Action Comics #1 is valuable because
1) its historical significance as the first superhero comic book.
2) the popularity of Superman.
3) the limited number of copies available (75 if I'm not mistaken, of which a handful of mint)

In order to get a comic book which is worth more, you need for it to have a greater historical significance than the first work of the current dominant genre, and you need very few remaining copies. People now take better care of their comics than they did in the 30s which is why there is an increased supply of copies in mint condition.

Incidentally- this is the wrong forum for the question, as it has nothing to do with Spidey.

[Rob Imes]

I think comics will go up in value, particularly ones in mint condition. We've seen it happen in just the past couple decades. In the 1980s, most 1970s issues could still be acquired cheaply. Charlton ghost comics and Marvel monster reprints (like "Where Monsters Dwell") could be found in the 25-cent boxes. By the 1990s, those same Charlton and Marvel monster comics started going up in price as they became more in demand, as did 1970s comics in general. Granted, you can still sometimes find such comics in the cheap boxes, but more and more you see (for example) 1970s issues of Charlton ghost comics priced between $2 and $4, sometimes higher.

I started trying to get 1970s Marvel's B&W mags in the late 1990s, just as they seemed to be starting to climb in price. By the year 2000 or so, I stopped even bothering to look because I knew the prices had gone too high for me. I'm glad I got as many Vampire Tales, etc. as I could while I had the chance.

Also, there's really no subsititute for owning the original comic for those interested in the original experience of "what it was like to have been there" or even just bragging rights (e.g., "look at my awesome reprint copy of ASM #1" just doesn't impress people). Again, though, some reprints are good substitutes for the originals, such as the "Marvel Milestone Editions" of ASM #1, #3, etc. since they reprinted the original ads, were printed on quality paper, etc.

[Sir Tim Drake]

Also, there's really no subsititute for owning the original comic for those interested in the original experience of "what it was like to have been there" or even just bragging rights (e.g., "look at my awesome reprint copy of ASM #1" just doesn't impress people). Again, though, some reprints are good substitutes for the originals, such as the "Marvel Milestone Editions" of ASM #1, #3, etc. since they reprinted the original ads, were printed on quality paper, etc.

This reminds me of a discussion I had in class today.

The German philosopher Walter Benjamin argued that great works of art have something called an "aura." The aura is a sort of magical sense of wonder that surrounds the work of art; it results from the knowledge that the work of art is authentic, that it has a long history, that it was made by the hand of a genius, and so on. Benjamin's argument is that since works of art can now be reproduced any number of times by mechanical means, the aura no longer possesses the power it once had.

Today in my French literature class, we were discussing this theory. I suggested that maybe some things still have an aura, even if they exist in more than one copy. There are a lot of authentic copies of Action Comics #1, none of which was physically created by Siegel and Shuster. But each of them still carries that same sense of "having been there," as Rob puts it, and each copy of that issue entitles its owner to the same bragging rights.

If Benjamin is right and there's no longer such a thing as an aura, then maybe that's why we prefer to collect original issues rather than reprints-- because we want to recapture the experience of an aura that doesn't really exist.

I hope that made sense. Sorry for the rant. :)

[hondobrode]

Value

What's that ?

Please don't mean speculation.

I value my comics, tho some of them don't have the "value" that I place upon them. I'm a reader and value my comics for their entertainment value to ME and don't really care about any of the rest of it.

No, they're not putting my children through college or are going to support my retirement.

I don't care.

I just want good stories with good art. Period. And THAT has helped to drive the market to where it is now : overall a rising of the quality of product on the stands now to where it is probably better than at any other time in the history of the industry, unlike the early 90's when the market was driven by speculation, multiple covers and holograms, etc.

....value........ definitely a subjective term

[T GUy]

Action Comics #1 is valuable because
1) its historical significance as the first superhero comic book.
2) the popularity of Superman.
3) the limited number of copies available (75 if I'm not mistaken, of which a handful of mint)

True. Except I seriously doubt that there are only 75 copies left. That book must have had a print run of 250, 000, and more likely 500, 000.

In order to get a comic book which is worth more, you need for it to have a greater historical significance than the first work of the current dominant genre, and you need very few remaining copies.

There'll be fewer copies of Marvel Comics No. 1 around than Action Comics No. 1 - but, as you say, the historical significance and the popularity of Supes shall keep that one on top.

[gentlesatirist]

..of many Golden Age comics were indeed large, but don't forget that a lot of people did just what my dad did : Gave away all their comics during paper drives to support the war effort.

When the Salvation Army came knocking on the door, you weren't about to say "Nah, I'm gonna keep my comics. Just take our old newspapers." Then your mom grabs you by the ear and says "The hell you will!" and tosses your comics out the door.

Plus there's the fact that they're 60-plus years old and made of paper. There easily could be fewer than 100 copies in existence for many of these key issues.


- FE
Wickliffe OH

[gentlesatirist]

...published after 1945, I have to believe that almsot everything can be had in readable condition for under $100.

I mean, look at some of the sale prices on ebay (not CDC) and prices of the handful of Golden Age books kept under glass at your area comic shop. If you had a thousand bucks and weren't too discriminating, you could easily put together a decent collection of 30-50 comics from DC or any other major publisher of the era.

As for post-1970 comics, I can't see anyone eventually paying more than $20 for a single issue of any title.


- FE

[Lone Ranger]

I think that most pre-1970 books things will continue to rise over the next couple of decades. The real problem with comic books is that they are made of paper - and not very high quality paper. Over time, the comics will decompose regardless of how well they are stored and it will be nearly impossible to prevent comics from declining grades, and ultimately taking a hit in terms of market value.

This is the real problem with any paper collectible.

As for the whole availability of reprints issue - I do think it has a bit of an impact, but it is somewhat limited. EC comics have been reprinted many times in different formats and they are still the leader in the pre-Code horror field in terms of market value.

[gentlesatirist]

...that a large number of post-1960 - and definitely post-1970 - comics already are stored in plastic. So the paper damage would have been done when they were in stacks on floors in bedrooms and garages.

The ongoing collectibility of ECs is an anumaly, but even there, we're talking about what, 200 comics?

And beyond that, I'd guess only the first 10-20 issues of big silver age titles like Flash, Green Lantern, Atom, Spider-Man, Fantastic Four, Thor, Daredevil, Avengers and Justice League have a chance of cracking that $100 per issue mark.


- FE

[Ryan K]

Books like Action Comics #1 and Detective #27 are almost always going to rising in price slightly. Just the way it is.

Stuff from the days of huge-print-runs (or as I notice most call it, the 90's) isn't gonna go up in price for a very long time if ever.

I think stuff from today will actually rise in price nicely over the next 10 years or so. Print runs being as low as they are, if comics ever become "big" again like they did in the 90's key issues or runs from current books could very concievably sky rocket.

[Lone Ranger]

...that a large number of post-1960 - and definitely post-1970 - comics already are stored in plastic. So the paper damage would have been done when they were in stacks on floors in bedrooms and garages.

I think plastic bags will help to slow down the process, but now stop it entirely, unless one has their book hermetically sealed. It will be a slow process, but my books won't look the same in 2205 as the do in 2005.

[Kan-Man]

I think there are several factors at work here. I'm a television writer-producer and I worked for a couple of years on an antiques and collectibles show with a number of professional appraisers.

In general, when you're talking about works of art, reprints do not aversely affect the value of the original (prints, lithos, etc). For example, I don't know if people collect original comic strips, but those same strips being collected in book form would not affect the value of the original.

The main point here, in my experience, is when it comes to collecting anything it's only worth what people are willing to pay for it.

I collected from the early 70s to the mid 80s. I have about 8-10 longboxes. Twice, in the late 80s, I tried to sell them by buying space at comic conventions. What I learned was in the short time since I had stopped reading, the market had changed drastically.

For starters, buyers were mostly interested in very recent back issues, which of course I didn't have. Many, if not all, wanted to take each issue out of their bags to inspect them. Which was a huge no-no back in my day. The other factor was I didn't look like an established dealer, and I think that scared people away.

I guess my point is, it's hard to predict what will affect the marketplace. My guess is this new grading fad is going to have a negative impact on non-graded collections (like mine).

Personally, I gave up the idea of striking it rich off of my collection a long time ago. I have a 2 year old son now and whether he likes it or not, he's going to inherit my past obsession and that's fine with me.

One last point - I've always thought comics were sturdier than folks give them credit for. I have a small collection of my dad's Classic Illustrated's from the 40s and 50s. They've never been bagged and some of them show very little signs of age (some are as brittle as the Jets quarterbacks, but that's a different discussion for a different time). A friend, through neglect, never bagged any of his collection from the 70s and they still look the same (although the smell is much stronger than it used to be).

Anyway, that's my 2 cents. Actually, judging by the length of this posting it's closer to 4 or 5 cents.

[MDG]

I think stuff from today will actually rise in price nicely over the next 10 years or so. Print runs being as low as they are, if comics ever become "big" again like they did in the 90's key issues or runs from current books could very concievably sky rocket.
That's a big if. I don't see how a character can become more popular with the general population than X-Man and Spider-Man did coming off their movies, but that didn't seem to increase demand for recent back issues.

Here's an anomaly: The undergrounds of the 60s-early 70s had pretty low print runs, and were initially read by people who weren't too fussy about keeping them in mint condition. Plus collectibles from that era seem to do pretty well. But judging from eBay, they don't seem to command very high prices.

MDG

[TheHistorian]

It will be a slow process, but my books won't look the same in 2205 as the do in 2005.

Neither will you! ;)



I think it depends on:

a) what length of time we're discussing
b) value as determined my a guide book or by, y'know, reality?


Over a short length of time, I wouldn't expect much change in rate of increase.

Over a longer period (say 30+ years), a lot of people with collections of original golden/silver age will die, and the pool of people who actually give a rat's ass about owning the originals will decrease, and thus so will price. The market is not generating fanboys obsessed with decades of history in the same way it used to. As the amount of material increases, the complexity of the history increases, so it's continually harder for new readers to "get" the entirety of the previous years.

Reprints will have an effect on this too. Archives and such will be sufficient for many people. Everything published today that is in "waiting for the trade" mode will have limited long term value. In theory, there is oddball stuff that falls through the cracks, but it often falls because no one is interested. Years later it gets noticed as "hard to find". Maybe, but it's still not good.

Over a really long period (100+ years), it's impossible to say. I would tend to think that the gulf between excellent condition early material (1940s and back) would widen even moreso versus later material. We're getting into issues of iconic status, and how that translates into long term investment potential. At the turn of the last century, Buster Brown was one of the most recognizable faces around. I'd think today you'd be lucky to get one person in a thousand (from an average sample - not comics historians) to be able to tell you who he was. I'm not saying that Superman or Spider-Man will drop off in that way, but Green Arrow or Wolverine could.

And of course there are the complete disconnects between price guides, CGC comics, and eBay. "It's worth what someone will pay you for it" is the mantra. But it's true, and it applies to everything - your house, stocks, a gold ingot, a pair of shoes. Value is an arbitrary concept that we created.

Anyway, if you want to invest, buy high grade golden age key issues, slab them, store them in as close to ideal conditions as you can manage. Other than that, it's about the same sort of crap shoot as money markets, bonds, or lottery tickets.

Invest in yourself - read something good.

[Comic-world]

To be honest I think the value of comics will increase as the rear too find somthing is the more its worth simple, also if you watch the market like I have you will notice that prices of comics that were going for 99p are now going for 10-15 pounds.

Soon as you get a comic thats mint, I sugest sending it too CGC too get graded that way it can be incapsulated in plastic not allowing any moisture in or much air. this is factors that damage comics if you keep them down then they will last a long time. keep the CGC comics in a dark cool place of the house, my cubord is just right its dry and cool.

[gentlesatirist]

What in the heck is a key issue, nowadays?

The whole Death of Superman thing - you can probably buy all those issues for $20-30 total.

Any key issue of Wolverine or anything X-related? $10, tops.

Don't know what the Gwen Stacy death issue of Spider-Man might be worth. But would anyone pay more than $50 for it?

I recently was outbid on a complete run of Steve Ditko's 6-issue Creeper series from the 60s. Whole lot went for about $120, which is more than I thought it would get, but still isn't a whole lot of money for a critically-praised title that's almost 40 years old.


- FE

[Mike Kuypers]

I think there are several factors at work here. I'm a television writer-producer and I worked for a couple of years on an antiques and collectibles show with a number of professional appraisers.

Personal FX?

[Lone Ranger]

What in the heck is a key issue, nowadays?



This is a Key issue

http://www.comics.org/graphics/covers/1449/200/1449_2_041.jpg

[Mike Kuypers]

This is a Key issue

It was for me, anyway. First issue of JLA I bought off the rack. :)

[Ryan K]

That's a big if. I don't see how a character can become more popular with the general population than X-Man and Spider-Man did coming off their movies, but that didn't seem to increase demand for recent back issues.

Here's an anomaly: The undergrounds of the 60s-early 70s had pretty low print runs, and were initially read by people who weren't too fussy about keeping them in mint condition. Plus collectibles from that era seem to do pretty well. But judging from eBay, they don't seem to command very high prices.

MDG

True, but look at a book like Deadpool from the late 90's. Print runs on that book were very low and even now you wouldn't say his popularity is very high (Cable and Deadpool sells OK numbers). But some of the issues now go for $10-20 apiece. And I've seen full runs (70 issues) go for $400.

[Kan-Man]

Personal FX?

Actually, no, but it was with the same hosts (Ronda Pierson and John Bruno) and included some of the same behind the scenes folks. It was called Antique Show & Sell and it aired here in the New York area.

[AlterEgo]

True, but look at a book like Deadpool from the late 90's. Print runs on that book were very low and even now you wouldn't say his popularity is very high (Cable and Deadpool sells OK numbers). But some of the issues now go for $10-20 apiece. And I've seen full runs (70 issues) go for $400.

show me someone who will spend over $400 on a complete deadpool run and i'll sell them mine. :p no, i am not kidding.

comics from the 90's on...demand is very buyer dependent and partly by what is in the public's eye at any given time.

for example, priest's black panther when he was still writing the book (and before priest ran out of ideas) there was a huge demand for anyone who had a complete run. at that time there was only 1 trade out and the title run was around 25 issues. people were getting $240 or more for a full run. try selling that same run (#1-25) now...you're not going to hit those prices again.

another example: danger girl: when this was a hot book, some of the very exclusive foil variants were between $75-$100. these variants were and still are in short supply. alas, not the same for demand now; if you can get $20 for each book, consider yourself lucky.

yet another example: when ellis was writing authority (#1-12), the book was HOT. easily $15+ apiece for the early issues; millar's issues were also selling around 3-4X of cover price.. now you can probably buy the entire authority run (23? issues) for $100 or less.

reprints definitely impact on short term prices, esp for low print run titles.

as for the gold, silver, & bronze collectibles market:

gold still commands very high prices in high grade. this won't change anytime soon. middle & low grades, anything that is non-superhero (better be a character that is still promoted by the company, ie. Batman/Superman is $$$, Blue Beetle is not!) or non-horror won't go up in price unless they're 'Keys'. it will probably stay this way for at least the next 10 years. 20+ years, i'm inclined to say pricing will reverse.

early silver age books will still be demand for high grade. middle grade or lower books will see prices soften, more so with marvel than dc because supply is lower.

bronze: prices will go up for high grade books. those of you who still have their original books and if they're in nice shape will make a good amt of money.

big fallacy: don't invest in comic books as an investiment vehicle unless you get the advice of several experts and really do your research and you have spare cash to burn. frankly, you'd see a better ROI on something outside of the comics collectibles market.

[Mike Kuypers]

Actually, no, but it was with the same hosts (Ronda Pierson and John Bruno) and included some of the same behind the scenes folks. It was called Antique Show & Sell and it aired here in the New York area.

That's too bad — for me, not you. Personal FX was pretty popular with me and my parents. We missed it when FX gave up on its live programming.

We now return to our regularly scheduled thread...

[Thrice]

I would think over time as people move and diaster happen certain comics will become less common and worth more. I beleive currently ultimate spiderman 1 is close to 2 hunderd dollars. I think in fifty years that could be alot more. But no comic is every going to be worth as much as action comics number one.

[Comic-world]

Action Comics #1 is the holy grail of comics. I have a reprint of it and its still nice too own, a pieace of history.

I think the ultimate series is going too be up there with the amazing spiderman series because its a new style of comic design and the pages are very vibrant too look at, also it really shows you peter parks life befor he became spiderman.

A comic with some history is a - Amazing spiderman #36 WTC, as this commerates those lost in 911. this was made in such pression and was on the boarder line of not being published because of the subject it was about.

[Venoman]

yeah i gotta get myself the ultimate spiderman collection... i saw 1-9 for £130.... may consider it one day.... the only silver age comic i have is amazing spiderman 16 the first app. of shocker..

but im generally pissed at the prices of comics... i dont have a job and i cant afford to be buying new ones or getting subscriptions.... so now days i just read the essential books or some of the cheap back issues they sell... found some good ones in there.. like reprints of the first captain america including the origin of Dr Doom...

[Hellcow]

I agree with what has already been said. Don't buy comics for investment. If you really need/want to invest money, there are far better options that will give you a much bigger and more stable return in both the short and long term.

Buy comics because you enjoy them. Its almost as if some people feel guilty for their purchases, so to make them selves feel better, they tell themselves it was for investment.

Throw away the guilt and enjoy your comics, and don't sweat it if you damage them. Life is too short as it is, so you need to enjoy what you've got while you still can.

[shawnh]

For starters, buyers were mostly interested in very recent back issues, which of course I didn't have. Many, if not all, wanted to take each issue out of their bags to inspect them. Which was a huge no-no back in my day

A lot of times I feel like you have to take it out of the bag if you're going to drop a significant amount of money on it, or at least get the dealer to do it and show you the book is complete. I once bought what I thought was a copy of the Classics Illustrated Uncle Tom's Cabin which turned out to be a Classics Illustrated cover wrapped around Captain Johner and the Aliens. Also, old comics had dozens of coupons and "value stamps" kids were encouraged to clip out.

I think some comics will continue to increase in value, but most things after 1970 will stay about the same. Most of the stuff from the most recent speculator boom is too common and too well preserved to ever increase in value until I'm too old to care about it

[Prelude]

I agree with what has already been said. Don't buy comics for investment. If you really need/want to invest money, there are far better options that will give you a much bigger and more stable return in both the short and long term.

Buy comics because you enjoy them. Its almost as if some people feel guilty for their purchases, so to make them selves feel better, they tell themselves it was for investment.Whether this applies to any CBR posters or not, I think a lot of comic collectors hold the investment aspect as important. A dealer told me that when you start purchasing books that cost $50 and up, it's hard not to think about resale values and how much you'll be able to get if or when you "cash out." I asked him one time where he thought the hobby is or where it's going. He held up a NM Iron Fist #14 and said, "Commodities. This isn't Sabretooth's first appearance, this is x amount of dollars."

Imagine for a second how many collectors would be devastated if there was an apocalyptic comic crash and the back-issue market plummeted completely beyond repair. While a collector wouldn't throw away his prized comics, I can guess he could easily find excess comics he kept around simply because of their value in the aftermarket.

[Kan-Man]

A lot of times I feel like you have to take it out of the bag if you're going to drop a significant amount of money on it, or at least get the dealer to do it and show you the book is complete. I once bought what I thought was a copy of the Classics Illustrated Uncle Tom's Cabin which turned out to be a Classics Illustrated cover wrapped around Captain Johner and the Aliens. Also, old comics had dozens of coupons and "value stamps" kids were encouraged to clip out.

Totally understood, and I think in the situation you described, it's necessary. I was having it done to me for comics I was pricing at 50 or 75 cents. That's nuts.

[Venoman]

Throw away the guilt and enjoy your comics, and don't sweat it if you damage them. Life is too short as it is, so you need to enjoy what you've got while you still can

i agree that comics shouldnt be bought just for investment... but you really shuld take care of your comics. Especially silverage ones, cus if your gonna buy them just to enjoy then whats the point? theres plenty of books you can buy with them in... like the marvel essentials.

[founder81]

Totally understood, and I think in the situation you described, it's necessary. I was having it done to me for comics I was pricing at 50 or 75 cents. That's nuts.

Not really. Even if I'm only paying 50 cents, I want to make sure i can read the entire story. Otherwise the book isn't even worth 50 cents to me.

[Sir Tim Drake]

i agree that comics shouldnt be bought just for investment... but you really shuld take care of your comics. Especially silverage ones, cus if your gonna buy them just to enjoy then whats the point? theres plenty of books you can buy with them in... like the marvel essentials.

There are actually several reasons. With original comics, you get the nostalgia value plus the original ads and letter columns, and the quality of the originals is actually sometimes better than the quality of the reprints. For example, the originals are in color while the Essentials are black-and-white.

[Cei-U!]

There are actually several reasons. With original comics, you get the nostalgia value plus the original ads and letter columns, and the quality of the originals is actually sometimes better than the quality of the reprints. For example, the originals are in color while the Essentials are black-and-white.

Exactly. Well said.

Asking why I buy tattered but original Silver Age comics when there are durable high-quality reprints available is like asking a vinyl enthusiast why he doesn't just buy CDs. There's something much deeper at work than simply listening to music or reading a super-hero dust-up. They are a tangible relic of my childhood and, as such, the experience of an old comic is as dependent on its look, its feel, its smell* as on its content. I like the Essentials and Showcase books very much but I will always collect the real thing too.

There are also tens of thousands of comics that no one will ever reprint in a deluxe hardbound edition. It's oddities like Blake Harper, City Surgeon or the Dell Lyndon B. Johnson campaign biography that keep collecting fun for me.

Cei-U!
I summon the rationale!

* And in my case, since I handle my books with my mouth, its taste. I'm probably the only CBRizen who can tell a Gold Key from a Charlton by the flavor of its pulp and inks.

[Prelude]

* And in my case, since I handle my books with my mouth, its taste. I'm probably the only CBRizen who can tell a Gold Key from a Charlton by the flavor of its pulp and inks.I've heard and read of fans that love their comics, but this easily tops all! :)

[Venoman]

i collect comics.. ive got one from the silverage but not because i wat to read it... cus i already have a reprint of it, colour is helpfull but i can still get the story without it.. i couldnt live with out the essentials, id have to try and buy everysingle silverage comic

[gentlesatirist]

...current prices at Mile High Comics, you could put together a pretty solid collection of Silver Age comics for $500, even if you decided not to spend more than $8 for any single comic.

To me, that doesn't sound like a field that's got high long-term investment value.


- FE
Wickliffe OH

[Venoman]

i dont care abouyt investment.... i car about owning a peice of history man!

[Arrjay]

What about comics like Ultimate Spider Man Issue One? There are versions of that comic with Dynamic Forces exclusive covers listed in Wizard as $200.

[Venoman]

id love the ulitmate spidermans... they are a part of history

[founder81]

There are actually several reasons. With original comics, you get the nostalgia value plus the original ads and letter columns, and the quality of the originals is actually sometimes better than the quality of the reprints. For example, the originals are in color while the Essentials are black-and-white.

THere's nothing like the originals even with color reprints. For me when silverage (or any age) comics are reprinted on glossy paper vs newsprint, the newprint looks much better. It may just be me though. I'd rather collect Marvel Tales or Classic X-men over the Masterwork editions.

[MDG]

For me, if it's a choice between spending $2 or $3 on a mint-condition brand new book or a ratty silver or bronze age book, I'll go with the older stuff every time.

MDG

[DDM]

What about comics like Ultimate Spider Man Issue One? There are versions of that comic with Dynamic Forces exclusive covers listed in Wizard as $200.

Wait until the hype dies down. When Ultimate Spider-Man is no longer hot, the price will likely fall like a rocket. At one point, all of the ultimate titles will cease publication.

[founder81]

Wait until the hype dies down. When Ultimate Spider-Man is no longer hot, the price will likely fall like a rocket. At one point, all of the ultimate titles will cease publication.

Harbinger, Solar, Lady Death, Evil Ernie used to have very high book prices. Look at them now. The contents inside the books haven't changed, just their popularity.

[Venoman]

ultimate spiderman is always gonna be popular just like amazing spiderman still is

[destro]

"ultimate spiderman is always gonna be popular just like amazing spiderman still is"

Wow. I don't want to turn this into bashing the ultimates line (really I don't!).
But I can practically guarantee you that the ultimates line will not exist anymore within 5 years. Anyone collecting ultimate titles as an anything other than a short term investment is going to be very disappointed. You'll find them in the quarter/dollar bins by 2016.

[DDM]

ultimate spiderman is always gonna be popular just like amazing spiderman still is

Amazing Spider-Man will always be around in some form, but don't hold your breath on Ultimate Spider-Man. Once Joe Quesada is no longer Editor-in-Chief, the Ultimate line will fold.